


Hold & Harper Hall

by BardicRaven



Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: F/M, Family, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Issues, Gen, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:07:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28136670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BardicRaven/pseuds/BardicRaven
Summary: Menolly's found family at the Harper Hall, even while she's forced to admit that back at Half-Circle Sea Hold? Not so much.Three vignettes on Menolly and her family at Hall and Hold.
Relationships: Menolly & Alemi, Menolly & Robinton (Dragonriders of Pern), Menolly/Sebell (Dragonriders of Pern)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 52
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	1. Harper Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [salable_mystic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/salable_mystic/gifts).



"How'd your journey to Half-Circle Sea Hold go, Menolly?" Sebell asked as he came into the rooms that were Menolly’s quarters when she was in residence in the Hall. He had a feeling that he already knew the answer, both from the look on her face and the way she was wearily sprawled in her chair, but he figured it would be best if he asked her to share the news herself.

"It went... well, I suppose," Menolly muttered from her chair, the fingers of her other hand rubbing at the scar on her palm, faded now by years of work and healing into little more than an ugly mark, often more emotional than physical. 

"How very... exciting," Sebell teased, trying to get her out of her mood, as he pulled up a chair next to her. A dangerous game, akin to a bronze daring to fly the golden queen, but one he knew well at this point.

Menolly smiled, granting him the point in what had become a longstanding game between the two of them. "All right, so I was being a bit dramatic. But it did go well, overall. My father actually had to admit in front of the entire hold that I hadn't done too badly, and I had, in fact, not managed to shame the hold."

Sebell reached out, stopped the motion of her hands. "But..."

"But still, they weren't happy for me. Well, except for Alemi. He's a captain now, you know." Her flippancy couldn't quite hide the pain.

"What happened?"

"They didn't even invite me to his ShipTaking. Didn't understand why I should be. Alemi said he'd wanted to invite me anyway, but from words that were said, he was worried he might lose his chance to gain his own ship if he did. So..." She shrugged. "I can't blame him. He has his life to think about, his future family. He doesn't dare get on Yanus' bad side."

"The man has a good side?" Sebell groused. He didn't know the Sea Holder personally, but was inclined to dislike him on sight simply because of the pain he'd caused Menollly over the years.

"Ah, there you are!" a loud voice called from the doorway as a fair of fire lizards flew in the door, perching on various bits of furniture while golden queen, Beauty, came to her usual perch on Menolly's shoulder, looking very pleased with herself while another golden queen, Kimi, came to Sebell's, also looking exceedingly pleased with herself.

Just as Sebell began to wonder exactly what mischief disguised as ‘help’ the fire-lizards had gotten up to under the instigation of the queens, Menolly cried out in joy.

"Robinton!" Menolly brightened as she saw the older man, his own bronze fire-lizard perched calmly on his own shoulder.

"Well if the Harper won't come to the Master, the Master must come to the Harper." he said as he pulled up a stool. "I brought a bag of Benden's best. A little queen told me there was need."

Well THAT certainly explained the way that Beauty was looking so smug. Kimi too. And honestly, Menolly couldn't fault either one of them for it. She HAD been feeling quite down since returning to the Harper Hall. She loved everything about being a harper, even the bits that so many others found fault with. She loved having a family here.

It was just... every now and then, just for a little while, Menolly wished that she had a family back in Half-Circle Sea Hold too. Oh, Alemi did his best, and she honestly couldn't fault him for not wanting to cross Yanus when his own dream lay so close at hand, but... well, she'd've like to have been there at his ShipTaking, and that was the end of it.

Becoming one of Pern's most famous Harpers wasn't enough to please Sea Holder Yanus. Nothing ever would be. She knew that now. She knew that then, really. She'd just hoped, foolish human thing that it was.

But now... now she had her lover beside her and her mentor on a stool not too far off, both of them looking at her with love and concern in their eyes.

It was enough. It was more than enough, and so much more than so many had.

She shook herself and reached for the glass that Robinton held out for her. She might not have family back in the Hold, but she certainly had family here.

"To family," she said as she raised her glass high.

"To family," they echoed as they drank.


	2. A Mirror's Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robinton talks to his new Master and shares some of his own story.

She'd done it. She, Menolly of Pern, impressor of TEN fire lizards, singer of songs, writer of music, she who had faced down bullies, Lord Holders, and Thread itself, had made Master.

She was a MasterHarper. Menolly let the thought roll around in her brain for a moment, enjoying the feel of it. From being a semi-wanted girl-child of a sea hold with a definitely unwanted talent for tuning, to being a MasterHarper. Definitely a difference. Definitely a change. 

Definitely something that took a bit of getting used to.

Definitely.... Menolly refused to let herself fall into the grief and depression that occurred when she let herself think too much about her blood family and how her situation now was different from her old days. They were who they were and that was an end of it.

She was who she was and if they couldn't handle that, then that was THEIR problem, not hers.

She told herself that a lot. Sometimes she even believed it.

Tho' she had to admit that it still stung, even after all these years, to have found out that she hadn't been invited to share Alemi's ShipTaking ceremony. She understood - how could she not? Of all people, she knew what it was like to risk your future on a small thing.

But still.... But still, she reminded herself firmly, she was here, where she DID have family. She was surrounded by them every time she left her room in the HarperHall. They were what was important.

They were who she'd been recognized among. Fire lizards murmurred sleepy agreement from their various perches on furniture and mantel and their projected contentment soon sent her off to her own rest.

MasterHarper. What a wondrous sound that was.

"You asked to see me, Robinton?" Menolly paused in the doorway to Robinton's rooms.

He looked up from where he'd been working at the sandtable, sliding the glass over it to protect his work.

"I did," he said, waving her inside. "Had to talk with my newest Master, see where she'd fit in best." He looked around her carefully. "Who do you have with you? I'd rather our conversation not be interrupted."

Menolly laughed. "Just Beauty. I sent everyone else out to enjoy the day. I'd've sent her too, but she told me I needed looking after and she'd do no such thing until she knew I was settled."

"Heh, sounds like a queen," he said, holding out a hand to the golden head that poked out from among Menolly's hair, graciously receiving the scolding he deserved for doubting her ability to know what her mistress needed best.

When Beauty had been sufficiently admired and placated, Robinton turned back to his table, pulling out a sack of wine with Benden's crest featured prominently on it. "What I actually brought you here for was to have a bit of private celebration with you while we figure out what, and where, you should be next."

He poured, handed her a cup, poured one for himself, then saluted her before he drank. "Ah, Bendan wine. Always the best thing for a celebration." He looked at her a moment. "Bet you didn't think you'd make it here, did you?"

Menolly smiled as she drank from her own cup. "No, I have to admit I didn't. When I was back in that cave, I was thinking about survival. Not even in my dreams did I ever think I'd be here in the HarperHall, never mind a Master. And before..."

Robinton sobered. "You deserve it. Every bit of it. The one thing my father and I agree on."

Robinton's faraway look let her be brave, ask a question she'd wondered about for years. "So why did you spend so much time on me back then? It's not like you didn't have other demands on your time." 

Robinton took a long moment, drank a long swig of the wine before answering. "I suppose it's because you reminded me of me."

Menolly listened eagerly. For all Robinton was generous with his time and attention, the one thing he was stingy with was his story, choosing instead to always focus on others. Quite soothing to nervous musicians and quite useful in diplomacy, but still, it was good to finally hear some of his story as well.

His gaze went to somewhere not in the room as he continued. "I started young. My first songs were being sung about the Hall when I was three. My father..." he took a breath and a large drink of wine before continuing. "My father wasn't happy with my abilities either. Different reasons, but the displeasure was the same. My mother left my father behind in the Hall, took a position elsewhere to get me away from him. Oh, that’s not the only reason she gave to the rest of the world, but to me, she told me the truth. She gave up a lot to protect me. I’ve been working on repaying the debt ever since."

He returned to her. "So when I finally found you, the person whose songs had been travelling over all Pern, heard your story, I suppose I wanted to help you in part to help myself back then. The help I would have liked to have had back then."

Menolly nodded. She understood. From time to time one of the new apprentices would come in with a story similar enough to her own that she'd feel extra-close and protective of them. Never in a way that would compromise her duties to Craft and Hall, but still there nonetheless.

“And,” Robinton continued quietly. “Tho’ it’s not to my credit, there’s another reason as well.”

“Oh?” Menolly asked, half-curiosity and half-fear in her tone. The parts of her that always doubted beginning to come to the fore.

“Nothing bad, just a bit selfish. I think…” Robinton took a long drink of the wine. “I think that, in addition to recommending you to the Hall for your genuine talent and abilities, I think that Petiron also recommended you to me as a bit of an apology. He couldn’t go back and change how he’d treated me, but he could nurture the child prodigy that he came across then.”

Menolly thought about that for a moment. While yes, it was a little selfish, it wasn’t horrible, and she certainly couldn't argue with the results. "So," she said, indicating the pile of notes he had and her acceptance of the situation all in one. "I believe we were here to talk about what to do with me?"

"We were indeed,” Robinton as glad for the release of the emotion as she was. “Now…"


	3. A Gift from Queen & Harper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beauty & Menolly both give Alemi a gift.

It was a joyous day! The time had come to distribute the eggs from Beauty’s latest clutch, the first that was hers to decide where they would go.

She knew just who she wanted to receive one of the precious eggs. Alemi had always done his best to champion her, and now, she had the opportunity to help him achieve another one of his dreams. She put pen to message skin, rolled it up small, and asked Beauty to take it to her brother. She sent a picture of his face, sending it until Beauty chirped in understanding, then launched from her shoulder and between.

* * *

She received an answer by way of her brother striding into the Hall a few days later, picking her up and swinging her around in a sea-hardened sailor’s embrace. She gasped and greeted him back as he set her down carefully.

“Thank you,” he said. “Thank you.” Underneath Menolly could hear all the words he did not, could not say. _Thank you for the egg. Thank you for forgiving me for the times I failed you. Thank you for remembering me as your brother._

They both knew it was not a given. Ever since that time Turns ago, when Menolly had returned to Half-Circle Sea Hold for the acknowledgement of Yanus’ leadership of the Hold for thirty years, there had been no communication between Yanus and Menolly, and they all knew there likely never would be.

“Always, Alemi. Always.” Then she gestured towards the stairs leading up and out of the Hall proper. “Would you like to come choose your egg? Or would you rather stop and rest a moment, take some food and wine first?”

“What do you think?” Alemi grinned back at her.

“Yes. Egg it is.” She laughed as she led the way out of the Hall.

* * *

Once in her rooms, she led the way to the hearth where Beauty perched on the mantel, watchfully surveying several large pots and baskets of eggs on the stone below.

Alemi held out a cautious hand for Beauty to inspect. She reached out her long neck, one eye whirling gently in Menolly’s direction, before giving Alemi a good sniff and then holding out her head for a scratch, clearly satisfied.

“You’ll do,” Menolly laughed. “You’ve passed Beauty’s inspection.”

“I’m glad,” Alemi said softly. “I was a little worried I wouldn’t.”

“Why?”

“Ah, you know,"Alemi shrugged self-consciously. "I smell of fish and the sea, no matter what I do. She lives inland now. Who knows what she might think? And you know how expectant ones are. Human or otherwise.”

Menolly laughed again. She did indeed. She’d been called to soothe many an expectant mother over her years as Harper, both human and not.

“So, which one do you choose?”

Alemi took his time, inspecting each pot, each basket, before deciding on one. “This one. There is a feeling about this one. Like we’ll be good together.”

“Then that’s the one you should take.” She looked up at Beauty. “Are you content with my brother taking one of your eggs? I can promise you, he’ll treat them well.”

Beauty tilted her head a moment, then gave a positive-sounding chirp before going back to her watchful attention.

Menolly gave him a short lecture on the basics of care for both egg and fire-lizard as they went down to the hall for long enough to grab some food and a skin of wine, which they took out into the glorious sunshine filling the courtyard.

“Pretties need feeding?” Camo asked upon seeing them.

“No,” Menolly said. “The pretties are fine. It’s just us that need feeding.”

“Gold Pretty good? She have babies soon.”

“Yes, Beauty’s doing well, as are the eggs.”

“Promise?” the man asked cautiously.

“I promise.”

With that Camo turned and somewhat reluctantly made his way back into the kitchens as they ate, enjoying the rare chance to be brother and sister together, catching up on old times and new alike under the peaceful sun.

* * *

A few weeks later, Menolly received a short note, written in her brother’s hand.

_A blue! Blue as the sea. His name is Sailor._

Menolly smiled. A good gift indeed and a debt well repaid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ##### I have no idea how Sailor came into Alemi's life in the books - I was only reminded of them / learned of them from the research I did for this story.
> 
> ##### Still, I'd like to think this is how it happened.
> 
> YG


End file.
